Chains of the Past
by ladyanaconda
Summary: No matter how hard you try, it's very hard to escape from past deeds, as Mausinger has to learn the bad way.
1. Chapter 1

Despite Mausinger's change of heart after signing the Declaration of Interdependence, even after having been given the blessing by both King Evan _and_ King Leonhard to continue ruling Ding Dong Dell, even after his attempts to correct his mistakes and make things better for _everybody_, his popularity amongst the Grimalkin… Well, one can get a general idea.

He understood this, of course. He _did_ kill their king and endangered their lives and families with his vendetta against the Grimalkin, allowing his fellow mice to partake in it as much as they wanted as well. To be honest, he partly understood how they felt. He knew how it felt to be discriminated because of his race, called names, etcetera.

But still, he should have known better than such a lowly act. He had acted rashly and drunken with power. He had become the thing he hated in the end but didn't realize it until it was too late. The contempt he received from the grimalkin was the harvest of what he had sowed.

It helped that most of the grimalkin often kept civil about it. They respected King Evan and Leonhard's wishes, albeit reluctantly, and since things soon were back to normal for them, this left them little to nothing to complain. A few, good-natured grimalkin held no resentment against him and acted as if nothing had happened, bless their hearts.

There were others, however, who were most unhappy about the situation, mostly the most traditional grimalkin even during Leonhard's reign, and the ones who were subjected to the most humiliating treatment during the 'bad days', mirroring their own awful treatment towards the mice. They had been hoping Evan would dethrone Mausinger, reclaim his birthright and set things right, and were sorely disappointed when he instead let the rat king stay in power _and_ signed a treaty with him.

Lately, though, he had a bad feeling in his chest. He didn't know why, but something was going to happen. Something _bad_. This started ever since he and Ratja announced they were expecting a baby. Amongst the cheering, he had spotted a few unhappy faces amongst the former ministers.

"Aren't you exaggerating?" Ratja asked him that night in their bedchambers upon noticing the extra security.

"I'm not taking any chances. Believe me, I can guess what's going on inside their heads. I spent a quarter of my time dealing with them on a daily basis back then."

"Not all the grimalkin are after your head, you know."

Mausinger sighed in dismay. "Not literally, but I bet some have done unspeakable things to me in their imagination." He frowned when Ratja giggled. "What's so funny?"

"Sorry, but… The way you said it _did_ make it sound funny."

Any other time he would have shared in her laugh, but right then his frown remained. "I'm serious, Ratja. We should be careful, especially for the baby."

At the mention of their child, Ratja placed her hands on her abdomen. "You think they would try something against me?"

"To get to me, yes. But that's not the only reason they'd attempt against both your lives…" Mausinger trailed off. During his years as Leonhard's chancellor, he had learned one thing or two about laws regarding the crown. Should a monarch die without an heir, the noble houses disputed the next in line, and should there be no blood relative able to inherit the throne, then a council was made to vote for which noble house would ascend to the vacant spot.

Mice were known to have numerous families, but Mausinger was thirty-eight and not on the top of virility anymore. He wasn't too old, but with age, the famous 'fertility' waned. Ratja was ten years younger, which gave them a bit of hope for ensuring an heir should something happen to their first child (though he'd do everything within his power to keep it from happening.)

A gentle hand on his cheek brought him out of his thoughts. He met Ratja's kind face and her lovely smile. She always knew just how to cheer him up. He would have liked to stay like that for a little longer, but sadly there was a loud knock on the door.

"Your Majesty! Sorry for bothering you at this hour, but there's an urgent matter that requires your attention!"

Mausinger sighed. "Surely it can wait until tomorrow."

"I'm afraid not, sire!"

"Go, Otto. We'll be fine." Ratja assured him, holding his hand tightly.

"Are you sure?"

"The longer you stay here, the longer it'll take you to come back."

"Touché, my dear." He planted a small kiss on his wife's forehead before leaving. The servant who had knocked, a gray-furred tabby grimalkin he didn't recognize, was waiting outside. "What is it?" he asked.

The cat stuttered. "Captain Buck requires a word with you."

"Captain Buck? And why didn't he come personally?"

"Um, well, you see… He caught a shady character trying to enter the castle grounds and since he didn't trust any of the other guards to keep an eye on him, he asked me to come to tell you."

Shady character? "Lead the way, then."

The further they walked away from the royal chambers, the more the sensation intensified. Something was smelling rotten about this… He glanced at the tabby again. He had _never_ seen this guy around the castle before, and Mrs. Tibbs didn't mention any gray tabbies when she brought him the list of new workers. Sure, he couldn't recite the names of every single castle employee without seeing their faces, but as King, he _has_ to know who is working under his roof.

"Are you new here?"

The cat almost jumped. "Sir…?"

"I've never seen you around here before. Are you new?"

"Oh, y-yeah! It's my first day, your Majesty!"

"Where is Captain Buck right now?"

"He's in the courtyard with that guy… It was such luck he was taking his rounds around there when that person tried to sneak in."

"_When_ exactly did that happen? How long ago?"

"Ten minutes ago, sire-" The grimalkin was caught completely off guard when the rat king grabbed him by the throat and pinned him against the wall.

"Who sent you?" Mausinger hissed.

"Y-Your Majesty, I don't understand-!"

"You don't? Allow me to clarify. You say it's your first day. You say Captain Buck was doing his rounds around the courtyard when he caught this 'shady person', and you say this all happened ten minutes ago. But you didn't take two things into account. First, at this hour Captain Buck's rounds take place at the castle gates, so he had no reason to be in the courtyard." His grip on the cat's throat tightened. "Second, if you say it's only your first day, how was it possible for you to find the royal chambers in less than ten minutes when it takes at least an entire hour for the average new worker to find it?"

The grimalkin's eyes widened in shock. That was all the confirmation he needed. "I will ask again, and you better tell me the truth this time if you don't want to spend the rest of your life rotting in the dungeon. _Who sent you?_"

The cat broke down into nervous sobs. "I'm sorry, your Majesty! I didn't want to, but they f-forced me…!"

"Who?"

"There's no time for that, the Queen is in danger!"

"What are you-?!" He heard a loud scream from the upper levels. His heart nearly stopped. _Ratja!_

Forgetting about the Grimalkin, he teleported himself back into their chambers. His wife was leaning against the wall, holding a bloodied knife in one hand, while the other was pressed against a bleeding wound on her shoulder. He was instantly by her side to make sure both she and the baby were safe. "Ratja, are you okay?!" He held her close in relief.

Ratja returned the embrace. "Otto…! Oh, Otto…!"

"Are you alright? The baby, is he…?"

"We're both fine, thanks for asking."

"What happened?"

"Not long after you left, an assassin… he snuck in from the window… he came after me, we… we struggled and then he…. He…"

"Where is he? Did he escape?"

Ratja didn't answer. She motioned her head towards a large, fallen body on the floor.

* * *

Next morning, the incident was in everybody's lips. Even though Mausinger forbad those involved from spreading the word, somehow word reached outside the castle. There were already rumors circulating through Dell, particularly about the Queen's wellbeing and that of her child. Any prying eyes were kept away from the castle gates.

Both Ratja and Mausinger spent the night in the infirmary: the former in order to be treated and be under the doctor's surveillance to avoid risking a miscarriage due to stress, and the latter because he refused to leave his wife's side (and there was _no way_ he was going to sleep in their bedroom while it was stained with blood).

"Majesty?"

"Hmm…?" Mausinger reluctantly drifted awake. He yawned lightly and stretched out some stiff muscles. Mental note: get softer beds for the infirmary. "What?"

One of the healers bowed her head apologetically. "Sorry for awakening you, Your Majesty, but Captain Buck needs a word with you."

"Is he outside?"

"He insisted on waiting for you."

Mausinger glanced at Ratja. She was still asleep, and both her hands were resting on her slightly-swollen abdomen. "Anything new about the Queen's state?"

"There were no complications and no signs of miscarriage. However, the doctor considers it would be best if she stayed here for a few more days, just to be safe."

He stroked his wife's cheek gently. "I'm going to speak with Captain Buck," he finally said after some time, slipping off bed carefully to avoid awakening his wife. "Inform me if anything happens."

The healer nodded. "Yes, your Majesty."

Mausinger kissed Ratja's forehead before leaving the infirmary. Like the healer had said, Captain Buck was waiting for him outside. "I'll assume your interrogatory was successful?"

The armored mouse nodded. "Indeed. There was no need to _make _him talk, actually. He spilled the beans as soon as I walked into his cell."

"What did he tell you?"

"Not here, Your Majesty," Captain Buck glanced around quickly. "Ears have walls, _especially_ if what he said is true."

"I see…" It must be even more serious than he originally thought. "Let us go to my study, then."

Once there, Mausinger locked the door and silently cast a spell that would prevent any sounds from leaving the room. "What did he tell you?"

"The assassination was planned by one of the grimalkin noble houses," Captain Busk explained. "The original plan was to first finish off the Queen and her child, and then go after you, but things didn't go according to plan. Who would have said miss Ratja would have such skill with the knife?"

Mausinger would have chuckled under different circumstances. "Indeed…" he momentarily paced around the room, stopping right in front of the windows. "With Ratja and me dead without an heir, the noble houses would have had the _perfect_ chance to put a grimalkin back on the throne. Did he tell you which family was behind this?"

"He didn't want to at first, he was too afraid of retaliation on their part if he revealed their identity. We had to call a mage to glimpse into his memories of the past forty-eight hours."

"And?"

"… Lord Gottonberg was the mastermind behind this."

Mausinger frowned deeply. "Gottonberg?" he repeated darkly.

"You don't seem surprised, your Majesty."

"Frankly, I'm not."

Gottonberg was perhaps the most anti-mousekin grimalkin in Ding Dong Dell. Mausinger had the displeasure of meeting him before, first when he was a child, and these accidental interactions became more common when he and Leonhard became friends. Gottonberg always tried to make him feel less or humiliate him at every chance he got.

Naturally, after the coup, Mausinger was more than happy to retaliate against Gottonberg in particular. On his defense, though, Gottonberg had actually _earned_ every single punishment and infraction during that time. He tried to rally the grimalkin in rebellion, amongst other things. He was ashamed to admit it now, but he had even _considered_ sending Oakenheart to frighten him. Thankfully he decided _not_ to in the last moment.

"Shall we put Lord Gottonberg under arrest, then, your Majesty?"

Mausinger wanted to. No one, _no one_, could attack his wife and unborn child and get away with it. There was nothing more he'd like than throw that nasty cat into a dungeon and leave him to rot, but... "No."

"Sir?"

"Think about it, Captain. Gottonberg's lineage is amongst the most ancient ones in Ding Dong Dell. He has the support of nearly all the grimalkin population; how do you think they will react if we put their 'hero' in a dungeon, accused of treason and an assassination attempt of which we have no proof in their eyes?" Mausinger sighed. "The assassin is dead, and he didn't carry any sort of written order or anything to connect him with Gottonberg. He might as well have been a radical who wanted to take matters into his own hands."

"Sir, we have a witness: the cat down in the dungeons-"

"It's his word against that of Gottonberg. Who do you think the crowds will believe? The situation with the cats is already bad enough as it is…"

Mausinger rubbed his temple. Wonderful. He couldn't arrest Gottonberg without proof because the grimalkin would think he was going back to his vendetta against them, but if he let that murderer in the loose this wouldn't be the last attempt against Ratja's life, and that of their child. His hands were tied unless he could get a direct confession from Gottonberg a significant witness whose word would be believed even over the grimalkin noble's…

Wait a minute. "Captain, what's the word about Ratja in town?"

"They only know that the Queen is in a delicate state, but some of them have even started to think she might not make it. No doubt exaggerations, you know how some people like to gossip around."

The gears in his head started to turn. Perhaps they could use that to their advantage. "Captain, I have a task for you…"

* * *

**Oh my, things will get intense. Let's hope no heads will roll this time.**


	2. Chapter 2

The next day, word finally came out. An assassin had snuck into the castle and attacked the Queen; she managed to defend herself, but the stress of the situation caused her to have a miscarriage overnight, in which she lost her life due to the blood loss.

In spite of Ratja's short time as Queen, she was mourned by most of Ding Dong Dell's population, particularly mousekind, most of whom knew her from before back in her days as a simple castle maid. The grimalkin and human population might have not known her as much, but they did know she was far kinder than her husband, so she had a good number of Grimalkin and human mourners as well.

What the three races had in common, however, was that they were worried about how King Mausinger was taking this. They had not heard a word from him, and the castle staff was not permitted to speak of the issue outside the castle walls, not even to confirm when the funeral would take place. They guessed he was mourning the deaths of his wife and unborn child his own way, but many cats were afraid he'd go back to his old ways out of grief.

This fear was placated when King Evan paid a visit some days later to pay his respects. Afterward, however, much like Mausinger himself he refused to disclose any information regarding the funeral or anything related to that topic. Guess the rat king didn't want to be reminded of his loss.

Even though visits to the castle were currently restricted, a week after the news was announced a tiger grimalkin in nice, expensive silk clothing made his way towards the castle gates. The two guards, a grimalkin and a mousekin, posted there crossed their spears, preventing his entry.

The tiger frowned but glared only at the mousekin guard. "I wish to have a word with King Mausinger."

"Due to the… circumstances, the king is not receiving visits, for the time being, I'm afraid. Come back another day." The guard said.

"How curious, considering King Evan was already accepted inside without any trouble."

"That's a different story, sire."

"You _will_ tell the king that Lord Gottonberg wishes to offer his condolences, you insignificant rodent!"

The mousekin guard frowned but nevertheless ran off to relay the message. Minutes later, he returned with the answer. "The king will see you in the throne room, but I must warn you-"

"Yeah, whatever." Gottonberg pushed past the spears without paying either of the soldiers any heed, ignoring the knowing glances they exchanged.

Just like they said, Mausinger was on the throne room. Gottonberg's blood started to boil; that rat didn't deserve to be there. Thankfully, now that his lineage would probably die out without his Queen, and the probabilities of him finding another partner before age caught up were almost non-existent...

"Gottonberg," Mausinger said coldly. His voice was hoarse and there were even darker bags under his eyes. He was rhythmically tapping the armrest of the throne with his fingers. "You wanted to see me?"

Gottonberg bowed unto one knee. Other times he would have tried to look for an excuse not to, but his long-time adversary was most likely on edge right now. He better keep the coal away from the fire for now. Only for a little more time, until he could find someone who could successfully finish the task.

"Indeed, your Majesty. I'd like to offer you my most sincere condolences for your loss."

"Sincere?" Mausinger chuckled humorlessly. "Do forgive me if I find it hard to think any word _you_ speak could actually be sincere."

"I know we have had our… differences in the past, but I have come in peace to tell you how sorry I am. Losing your Queen must have been hard, but I can't even imagine how hard it must have been for you to have lost a child before it was even born."

The rat clenched his fists. He had hit a sore spot. Good. "If you're _done_ rubbing salt over my wounds, I'd thank you if you got out of my sight before I do anything I won't regret."

Gottonberg bowed his head again. "My apologies, your Majesty. I shall be taking my leave."

Mausinger called out as he started walking back the way he came. "Gottonberg."

"Is there anything else you need, your Majesty?"

Gottonberg felt a shiver down his spine when the rat stood up and looked down at him, his hands behind his back. "What's your _actual_ reason for being here?"

"Your Majesty, I don't understand what you mean."

"Please, Harold. We _both_ know you hate my guts, you always have. You have _no_ reason to offer me any kind of sympathy and yet here you are, offering your 'condolences' for the death of my wife when in reality I know you're _very_ happy about it."

Gottonberg didn't like that look on Mausinger's face. It was unreadable. Whenever he had that kind of expressions, it meant he was up to something. "Sire, I am aware we've never... gotten along. But believe me, I would have never wished such a demise upon the Queen. The nerve of that cat! I've never been so ashamed of my own kind until now-!"

"How did you know the assassin was a grimalkin?"

Gottonberg went silent.

"I said the Queen was attacked by an assassin, but I _never_ specified the attacker's species." Mausinger had cornered the tiger grimalkin against one of the pillars. There was an undercurrent of anger in his voice, matched by the fire in his eyes as he tied the knots.

Gottonberg's ears went flat against his head and the fur at the end of his tail bristled. Shoot! "It's just an assumption, your Majesty, seeing as humans and mice wouldn't have any reason to want the Queen dead-"

It happened too fast. Gottonberg had no time to react as Mausinger's closed fist came into contact with the side of his face with such force that the tiger fell to the ground, spitting blood.

"You_… _You _bastard_…!"

Gottonberg decided enough was _enough_. Having to act as though he were inferior before the rat was one thing. But the very same rat having the guts to actually _punch_ him was too much. He lunged at Mausinger, claws unsheathed.

The fight didn't last long. The guards posted outside heard the commotion and arrived just in time to separate the two, though Gottonberg needed some extra guards to hold him back due to his larger size. There wasn't much damage done on either party, but Gottonberg's claws had partly sliced through Mausinger's coat and sleeves.

"UNHAND ME, FILTHY RODENTS!"

If there was one thing Mausinger was known for, it was rarely losing his composure, regardless of the situation or the stress he was in. So naturally all present people, the grimalkin noble included though he'd never admit it, were frightened by his current state. He was glaring at Gottonberg with the wrath of a thousand suns, baring his teeth, and there were tears in the corners of his eyes. "You will pay for this, Gottonberg! I will make you regret ever laying a hand on my wife and child!"

"Oh, what will you do about it, Mausinger? Imprison me? Or better, execute me publicly?" Gottonberg taunted him. "Go on! Do it! All the other noble houses and the grimalkin population will revolt if you do!"

"Oh, I wonder how they will react when they learned you deliberately caused the death of an _expecting mother, _who was additionally the _Queen_! You _really_ think they'd defend a traitor like you?!"

"HA! The pot calling the kettle black! Who are you to call _me_ a traitor when _you_ stabbed King Leonhard in the back?! I might have not liked his weak, pacific ways, but his rule benefited all parties! His only mistake was to have trusted a rat like you!"

Mausinger clenched his fists. "If you hate me _that_ much, why didn't you send your assassin to kill _me_?! Ratja and my child had _nothing_ to do with _my_ mistakes!"

Gottonberg's eyes turned cruel. "Oh, believe me, I _did_ consider it." he chuckled humorlessly. "But then I decided to give you a taste of your own medicine. How does it feel, Mausinger? Losing your loved ones over some stupid vendetta?"

"So that's all this is about? Revenge against me?!"

"If I simply wanted revenge against you I would have only killed _you_ and be done with it." Gottonberg chuckled. "What I want is simple: make things back the way they were before _you_ came along. As you know, Ding Dong Dell has been ruled by grimalkin ever since its founding, and since the days of King Tom Tildrum XVI, we have kept your thieving, untrustworthy kind down in the sewers, where you belong. Frankly, I don't even know where Leonhard got his… sympathy for rodents."

"I don't care what a half-breed boy or a ghost say, you _don't_ belong in that throne. Even your _mere_ proximity to it taints Dell's proud history of grimalkin supremacy. I wasn't going to let your line continue it, but since nobody else was willing to overthrow you after Evan decided to let you keep it, I decided to take matters into my own hands." There was a satisfied smile on the tiger's face. "Your Queen is dead, and so is your heir, and I doubt you'll find a replacement before your window of opportunity passes. And I believe you are very much aware of what happens when a ruler dies without an heir or any immediate family to inherit the throne."

"Sooner or later you will perish, and when you do, we will need a _real _king, and who better for such a role than the only one brave enough to take the first step to restore the grimalkin people to their rightful place?"

"You are confessing a conspiracy, Gottonberg. As soon as word of this gets out, you'll lose any support from _everywhere_."

Gottonberg's grin widened. "And who will believe _you_? You haven't got actual proof to link me to the assassination, and it's your word against mine, the patriarch of one of Dell's most ancient noble houses. Your reputation is already in shambles from _your own treason_ against such a beloved king as Leonhard was. I only need to deny any involvement to convince the masses, and instead, make it look like you're going back to your old ways. Nobody will take _your_ word for it!"

"Maybe they will take _mine_."

Gottonberg froze. That voice… Slowly, his head turned towards one of the many pillars, from which King Evan walked out, followed by…. His eyes widened. It couldn't be!

"About time!" Ratja huffed, rubbing her back. "I was getting tired of being hidden all day."

"B-But… How can you…?"

Impossible, they said she was dead! What is she doing here?! Gottonberg looked back at Mausinger. The bastard was _smirking_. "It took a bit longer than I anticipated, but I must say, it was worth it."

"What is going on…?"

"You are still confused, right? Allow me to elaborate," Mausinger started pacing. "The servant your assassin tried to use as a distraction confessed that _you_ were behind the plot. As you said, he would have killed Ratja and the baby first, and go after me if he got the chance, but you didn't take into account that my wife is pretty good with the knife."

Ratja blushed. "What can I say? I had a great teacher."

Mausinger stopped in front of Gottonberg. "Believe me, I _wanted_ to go after you. I _really_ did. But I also knew that the grimalkin hold you in _very_ _high_ esteem for a reason I fail to comprehend. Indeed, if I had just sent guards to arrest you for charges of Treason without solid evidence, the people would have believed I was going back to my old ways. "

"Thankfully, you seem to have forgotten that I spent time around you and the other Lords during my time as Leonhard's chancellor, enough time to learn how you _think_. I knew you'd come to me eventually to see for yourself, I knew you wouldn't resist come and find me at my lowest. You'd want to taunt me. All I needed was to hit the right buttons to get you to directly admit of your involvement because I was aware you'd brag that none of your fellow cats would take my word over yours. I knew that I needed a witness with solid credibility."

"That's where King Evan came in," Mausinger glanced at Evan, who offered him a nod, and then turned back to face Gottonberg. "You outright _confessed_ that you deliberately tried to kill my Queen, not only in front of me but in front of King Evan _and_ the Queen herself. And we _both_ know that their word has more weight than mine, even more than yours. Nobody would doubt Evan's word, and Ratja would have no reason to lie about this."

Gottonberg stared up at the rat king, his mouth hanging open. Seconds later his fur bristled as he bared his teeth. "_You set this all up_." he hissed.

"I did, didn't I? I can't take all the credit, though. Evan here suggested that he and Ratja hide while I got you to confess." Evan rubbed the back of his head, partly flattered.

Gottonberg's rage changed targets. "So you were his accomplice…! You little blood traitor-!"

"Watch your tongue, Gottonberg." Mausinger hissed, drawing his blade with a deep frown.

"I didn't want to believe it at first," Evan spoke to Gottonberg with a similar expression. "I had fond memories of you around the castle from the time I was but a child. I was hoping that perhaps it was a misunderstanding, or that you had been framed. But now…" Evan shook his head. "I am disappointed in you, Gottonberg."

"Why are you on _his_ side, Tildrum?! He _murdered your father _and drove you away from your own kingdom! He took your rightful place and then he persecuted our kind! Why are you taking his side?!"

Mausinger felt terrible when he noticed Evan was clenching his fists while averting his gaze. "I know that. I have not forgotten Mausinger's mistakes, and I don't think I ever will, but while he did it the wrong way, he had _good interests_ at heart. He just wanted equality for his fellow mice after centuries of prosecution from _our_ people."

"You, on the other hand, just want revenge. You just want to be in power in order to subdue the mice again and go back to how everything was before Mausinger and my dad started their effort to mend up the crevice between our two peoples."

Gottonberg looked affronted. "That's just the natural order, boy. It was established a long time ago that cats are the dominant species-"

"Really? By who? Who decided it? You? The Lords?" Mausinger took the following silence as a sign to continue. "You see, Gottonberg? That's the difference between you and me. I acted vengeful and petty, that's right, but my actual objective was to give my people a better life without discrimination. And now I do everything within my power to repair the damage I caused." Mausinger frowned deeply. "You only want to be in power to get your way. How long would it be before you'd start your own vendetta against mousekind just because _you don't like them_?

"You have always treated us like garbage, Horace; I actually witnessed some of those times when I was a child myself. How many times did you make a scandal for a mouse or a rat merely _brushing_ past you? How many times did you call them degrading names? How many people did you have arrested for a stupid reason or just because you felt like it?

"And you treated your own kin no better. You always thought yourself better than anyone, using people and then discarding them when they were of no more use to you." Mausinger pointed vaguely in the direction of the dungeon. "That grimalkin servant your assassin used as a distraction? The poor man is _terrified_ of you. You threatened to make sure he wouldn't get a respectable job anywhere in Dell if he didn't do as you told him. Do you even realize the position you put him in? You _forced_ him to be your accomplice in your conspiracy even though he was of your own kind." The rat king shook his head. "Face it, Gottonberg. You care for no one but yourself."

Evan took it from there. "As for your question about why I did not take revenge for the wrongs done to me… even if I _had_ done what you say, who would that _actually_ help? I hurt him, then somebody else hurts me in retaliation, and the cycle would just repeat itself endlessly, making many suffer because of it. Besides…" Even turned towards Ratja, momentarily glancing at her hands on top of her tummy. "Miss Ratja and that child are _innocent_. They didn't do anything to you or any grimalkin nor did they support anyone who did, and you were willing to harm them just to get back at Mausinger."

"Okay, now to what concerns us," Mausinger stepped forward, standing in front of Gottonberg, who was still being held down by guards. "Lord Horace Gottonberg, you have been found guilty of treason, conspiracy against the crown and orchestrating an assassination attempt on the Royal Family," he rubbed his chin, thoughtful. "Honestly, though, I don't even know _what_ punishment to apply, given it's actually the first time someone's been bold enough to do those three things at once…"

Evan and Ratja were staring at Mausinger with uncertainty. Would he actually apply the…. death penalty? It had seldom been used before, in part because no one had ever committed treason on this magnitude. But they both knew Gottonberg couldn't just be allowed to roam freely. Gottonberg himself seemed to have similar thoughts.

After some minutes of deliberating, Mausinger took a deep breath. "Horace Gottonberg, you are hereby _banished_ from Ding Dong Dell and stripped of all your titles, honors and posessions. I'll give you one day to pack whatever you wish to take with you, after which you shall be escorted out of the kingdom. Should you try to return, you shall be put to death."


	3. Chapter 3

To say the air was tense would be an understatement. The atmosphere was so heavy with anxiety that it was almost suffocating. No one had said anything yet, no one dared to lift their voice in protest given the seriousness of the situation.

Horace Gottonberg had been banished for treason.

Dell's population almost didn't believe it, but King Evan himself and even the Queen, living and breathing, were witnesses to his confession in a small plot orchestrated by Mausinger himself. Most mice chuckled at this revelation: that did sound like him, alright. It worked wonders. Even the most traditional grimalkin couldn't deny the truth afterward and didn't lift a finger to help the tiger.

After his disastrous visit, Gottonberg was escorted by guards to his house (or rather, his former house, as it had been confiscated alongside any property of his within the kingdom's boundaries) to pack up any essentials. His wife wept, inconsolable, while their children could only watch helplessly as their father packed provisions and other possessions unto his katorse before being escorted to the city gates the following day. As he walked down the streets, he could feel dozens of eyes staring deep unto him. Human, grimalkin and micefolk alike were watching, some of them silently rejoicing or silently mocking him.

As if that humiliation wasn't enough, on the gate he found none other than Mausinger himself. "What? Did you come to laugh at me? Taunt me?" Gottonberg hissed.

The rat king grimly shook his head. "That would have been my intention months ago, Horace, but right now, frankly I don't think it's worth it."

"At the very least admit that you're _enjoying_ this, Mausinger. You're happy that you're getting rid of me after all these years, that you _won_."

Mausinger sighed. "This was never a who-is-better-than-who competition, Horace. It's not about who _won_. You might not believe me, but I'm _not_ happy about having to resort to this. Regardless of our past relationship, you were still a citizen of this kingdom, technically you were _my_ _responsibility _and applying such a severe punishment is not easy for me."

"Don't be a hypocrite! You might have been able to fool all those people, but not me, you back-stabbing, lying-!"

"You would have preferred the death penalty?"

Silence. Seconds later, Gottonberg scoffed. "Oh, so now I should thank you for 'sparing my life'? I would have rather be beheaded by your blade than live the rest of my days in exile!"

"_You_ brought this upon yourself, Horace. Evan was right, Ratja and my unborn child _never_ did anything to you, your family or any grimalkin, but you targeted them anyway. And knowing you, if your conspiracy hadn't come to light it wouldn't have been the last attempt, only the first."

Mausinger felt a shiver down his spine when Gottonberg chuckled. There was a small glint of darkness in his gaze. "You think that this is the end? Then you're just as foolish as Leonhard was!"

"Watch your tongue, Gottonberg." He found himself clenching his fists. No one could insult Leonhard's memory while he was around. _No one_.

"You think _I_ will be the last one to try and end your line? I'm not the only one who thinks you don't belong in that throne, just the most daring one. Believe me, sooner or later, the rest of the cats will be out of the bag. It might not be tomorrow, next week or maybe even next year, but it _will_ happen eventually. It's a pity I won't be here to see your fall…"

It took every single fiber of self-restraint inside his body not to punch Gottonberg there and then, especially when he started to laugh. He didn't honor the tiger grimalkin with another word; he merely turned around and whispered to the guards. "Take him away."

* * *

Things relatively calmed down a few days later. King Evan returned to Evermore and everything mostly went back to normal.

Well, not, _everything_. Due to their patriarch's actions, the Gottonberg Clan lost their credibility and all their properties were confiscated. It wasn't long before they made preparations to move to Evermore to start over; King Evan, bless his heart, received them with open arms. The rest of the grimalkin nobles started laying low and fixed their attitude towards the mice, especially the King. The recent events showed that even though he was not as tyrannical as before, Mausinger _would_ apply proper punishment when it was due, so the majority chose not to provoke him any longer.

Ratja decided not to press any charges against the gray tabby, whose name was Jack. In her opinion, he had been as much of a victim as she had, he didn't have any other choice. Gottonberg could have done something to him had he refused to carry out the order. It took her a while, but she managed to convince Otto to let him go with a warning _this_ time only. To the surprise of both, Jack _literally_ kissed Otto's feet as a show of gratitude, much to her husband's embarrassment.

Speaking of Otto, ever since Gottonberg's banishment, he had been… strange. She hadn't attended the banishment because Otto didn't want her near Horace after he nearly caused her death, but she _did_ hear from some guards that they had exchanged some words before parting ways for good. Well, whatever Gottonberg said had affected her husband considerably; these past days he hardly touched his meals and spent a good amount of time in his study. Whenever she tried talking to him about it, he'd find a way out of it.

Well, not tonight.

As he came to bed earlier than usual, Ratja cooed the door shut behind them. "Okay, Otto. What's wrong?" A part of her expected him to try and avoid the topic again, but he didn't.

He sighed. "What if this isn't the end?"

"What do you mean?"

Mausinger didn't look at his wife. Instead, he glanced towards the window. His gaze stopped on the Gottonberg Clan's former home, now abandoned until somebody earned his favor enough to acquire it. "I didn't really think about it until recently, but… Gottonberg is not the only one who wishes me dead. The rest of the noble houses wish to see me dethroned as much as he did."

Ratja squeezed unto his arm. "Otto, what did he tell you?"

"… Have you heard of how sometimes history repeats itself if we don't learn from our mistakes?" Another deep breath. "What if the same applies here eventually? What if one of the noble houses make the same mistake as I did just to see a grimalkin back in power? With how the cats aren't happy with me right now, it wouldn't surprise me if it happens."

"Gottonberg is gone, Otto. He lost everything: the trust of the people, his status, _everything_. He can't do anything to you anymore."

"Directly he can't, but he was right in one thing: he's not the only one." Mausinger found himself leaning against the wall, gaze cast down in regret. "No matter what I do, or how hard I try to make things right, the grimalkin will _always_ see me as the 'usurper'."

"Otto…"

"I'm afraid that history _will_ repeat itself eventually. I don't care if they do something to me, deep down I know I _deserve_ it for…" He couldn't finish the sentence, but it was clear what he wanted to say. "What if you, or our child, get hurt? You saw it with Gottonberg, they might as well target you or the baby to hit me where it hurts the most and to end my line."

"It's all in the past. You said it yourself, King Evan forgave you and Leonhard's spirit gave you his blessing."

"_But I'm not worthy of it_!" Mausinger snapped, albeit unintentionally, as his clenched fist came into contact with the wall's surface. He averted his gaze in shame. "I still can't understand… I killed his _father_, Ratja. I caused the death of Aranella, the closest thing to a mother the boy had. And if that wasn't enough I tried to kill _him_. I took everything away from him and he didn't even try to take retribution, he just… He acted as if nothing had happened, he still held out his hand in friendship despite…"

He closed his eyes shut and brought a hand to his forehead. "I just… Even if _they_ forgave me, _I _can't… My hands will _always_ be stained in blood, those deaths will _always_ linger on my conscience."

Ratja finally understood what was bothering him. It wasn't only because of what the grimalkin thought of him or that she might get hurt, it was the _mistakes_ which they stemmed from that were eating at him from the inside. She had never thought about it from _that_ perspective. She wished she could say anything to make him feel better, but she found herself at a loss of words. She could only go close and embrace him, offering comfort in the best way she could. Otto gave into her embrace, going as far as to bury his face into the crook of her neck.

They stayed like that for a few minutes. Then she felt it. A tiny tapping from within her belly. "Otto…"

"What is it?" Mausinger reluctantly pulled back when his wife unwrapped her arms from his neck and her hands went down towards her slightly-swollen tummy. "Is something wrong with the baby?"

"No, it's…" Ratja took a hand to her lips, laughing lightly. "The baby _kicked_!"

Mausinger's ears perked up as he looked down in surprise. Curious, he placed his hand on the same spot Ratja had placed hers. The fur at the back of his head stood on end when he felt the light tapping against his palm. Soon it changed, however, and a different sensation took its place. Something rubbing directly against…

The baby was _touching_ him.

Ratja smiled. "He's saying hi." Sadly, the little hand soon got bored and went to do something else.

Something inside Mausinger stirred as he came into direct-or indirect, he wasn't sure which was more fitting-contact with his child for the first time. Smiling, he stroked his wife's abdomen tenderly as he pulled her back into another embrace. The noble houses could try as much as they wanted. He'd _never_ let any harm come unto his family. That night he made a solemn vow.

_I will always protect you, my child. _


End file.
